Pictured in action at the Sunset Paint-Out, Oahu artist Mark Brown will participate in Saturday’s Maui Plein Air Painting Invitational panel discussion at 3 p.m. at the Royal Lahaina Resort.

LAHAINA – The Maui Plein Air Painting Invitational is in full swing with 23 artists working scenes all over Maui and convening at “paint-outs” that draw crowds of spectators to Lahaina Harbor and Kapalua Bay.

A large exhibit that will include 19 award-winning paintings will be on public display at the Royal Lahaina Resort’s 4,000-square-foot ballroom gallery the weekend of Feb. 23-24.

The event is free and family friendly. Highlighting the show are artist demonstrations right in the exhibit area and a public panel discussion each afternoon at 3 p.m. hosted by Maui Arts League.

Four nationally acclaimed professional artists will be on deck Saturday at 3 p.m. discussing the development and serendipity of their careers.

Oahu artist Mark Brown worked his way into a successful art career and now volunteers to monitor the student workshops that inspired him in his youth. Terry Miura from California began as an illustrator for “Sports Iilustrated” and “Newsweek” magzines in New York City but chose to paint in oil full-time. Hiu Lai Chong trained at the best art schools in China and the U.S. before launching her career, and Michele Usibelli was a trained architect before she followed her muse to fine art.

All are prolific painters, and each has developed a unique style. Maui gallery professional Kim vonTempsky will moderate.

This discussion is for art students of all ages who wonder what it takes to become a professional artist, and also for art enthusiasts who want to know more about the artists they follow.

Sunday at 3 p.m., also in the Royal Lahaina Ballroom exhibit area, Rae Takemoto, arts integration consultant and founder of Friends of Pomaika’i, will facilitate a panel discussion on building an art museum among these panelists: Jean Stern, director of The Irvine Museum Collection at the University of California Irvine Institute and Museum for California Art; Dr. Joycelyn Romero-Demirbag, director of development at the University of Hawaii Maui College; Kirk Kurokawa, Maui artist and former Baldwin High School art student graduate; Tim Garcia, Maui sculptor; Darice Machel McGuire, artist and instructor; Victoria Teoh, Baldwin High School art student; and Daryl Arita, owner of Arita-Poulson General Contracting LLC.

Maui Arts League is spearheading an initiative to build a fine arts museum in West Maui. This project will require the commitment and hard work of the the entire Maui art community.

The museum would be a nexus for art education, art appreciation and fine art exhibits, where students, families and visitors would be able to enjoy and experience art.

For more information on the Maui Plein Air Painting Invitational weekend events, the ticketed awards gala on Friday evening, Feb. 22, or Maui Arts League’s mission, visit CelebrateArtOnMauiorg.